The Greater Threat
by QuothTheRaven
Summary: “Its the unsolvable scenario: the immovable object standing bravely in the path of the unstoppable force. We had no answer, only evidence: a trail of destruction, right across the world.” E/B, J/OC, slightly AU.
1. Prologue

**The Greater Threat**

_A/N: First of all, thank you for choosing to read my story. There are a few background details that I need to make clear for you to fully appreciate _The Greater Threat_. Firstly, it takes place a few months after _Breaking Dawn. _Secondly, for the purpose of this story, Jacob did not imprint on Renesmee in the last novel. And thirdly, the story will mainly be told from Bella and Jacob's perspectives. This is because no one can really deny that these two know each other better than anyone else, and I think therefore that they will be able to give the best overall view of the storyline from different angles._

_I won't be asking for reviews, although they are always very welcome and appreciated._

_Enjoy, and I'm sorry for this overly long note._

**Disclaimer: **The Twilight Saga and Characters therein belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Prologue**

_Bella's POV_

I stood there, hand in hand with my husband and my daughter, solid as stone, awaiting the oncoming mystery. We had no way to fight it. We had no way to stop it.

I clutched at Edward's hand, and he pulled me closer.

"You were right," he whispered in my ear, his velvet voice sincere and sure. "You're always right. Whatever this is, we'll face it together."

"Together," I agreed.

"I love you." His eyes flamed with intensity.

My soul flowed through my words. "I love you too." I turned to plant a kiss on Renesmee's soft curls, whispering my adoration in her ear. The wordless response that flowed from her palm to my mind was more than I deserved.

The whole group stiffened as the light of dawn flickered above the trees and the mountain peaks. I looked at the people around me: friends, family, every single one of them. And we were united. We were together.

Movement flickered deep in the trees in front of us, and we all braced ourselves.

Its the unsolvable scenario: the immovable object standing bravely in the path of the unstoppable force. We had no answer, only evidence: a trail of destruction, right across the world.


	2. Chapter One: Anything For Him

**Disclaimer:**The Twilight Saga and all characters therein belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Chapter One: Anything For Him**

_Bella's POV_

I shot through the forest, the colours magical and clear as emerald around me as I disturbed the peaceful foliage of the sleeping trees. All the colours and the wonderful sensations of soaring along at the speed of a bullet used to boggle my mind, but now I found it calming, as well as exhilarating: my mind and body were capable of both emotions at the same time now. But as I ran, I found my mind wandering. It did that a lot really; it was something that had only been enhanced with my transformation. And of course, my thoughts drifted to Edward.

The last few months had truly been wonderful, and, as I had predicted, without the laborious chore of sleep to break up the time, the days flowed easily into each other. The whole thing should have been a blur, but every memory remained perfectly clear before my eyes. No one had really talked about the whole stand-off with the Volturi, and I knew they just wanted to get on with their lives. I tried to respect that, but it was extremely difficult. I still had so many questions: would we ever see them again? Would they find another excuse to meddle in our lives? Edward had told me that all the others had similar worries, but they were keeping their queries to themselves, or discussing them in private.

We still considered the wolves our allies and our friends. Of course, they had always been my friends, even if some of them hated what I had become. The two packs seemed to be getting along well, keeping their distance from each other when it was necessary.

Jacob – well, Jacob had been very quiet. Professional in his role as Alpha, but otherwise avoiding us as much as possible. I knew something had changed between us, for the better, I hoped, but I hadn't seen him properly, to really talk to him, in a long, long time.

My whole family had been through so much lately, that a chance for normality was eagerly awaited, and every member relished the chance to live again without the threat of being wiped out. Carlisle had whisked Esme away to Isle Esme for a romantic weekend break, which ended up lasting for three weeks. Esme seemed to hold no grudges against Edward and I for the damage to the headboard and the pillows, although the amused glances we received on their return would have made me blush if it were still possible.

Emmett and Rosalie had spent a lot of time hunting together, mainly in Canada, although Rosalie always dragged Emmett back after a few days: she said she didn't want to miss Renesmee growing up. I would be eternally grateful to Rosalie for what she did to help me, during my difficult pregnancy. I knew that if it weren't for her, Renesmee wouldn't even be alive now, and none of us could imagine that now. I couldn't even entertain the thought. It made me shudder.

Alice and Jasper were even more inseparable than before, except for the insane amount of time Alice had dragged me shopping one weekend (apparently the wardrobe that was bigger than most of the rooms in my little cottage put together had to be restocked constantly). Jasper always seemed a lot more content nowadays, like the turmoil inside him and in the air around him had dissipated completely, and he was finally at peace with himself. It was nice to see. And when he was happy, we were happier...

And Edward and I were blissfully happy. My love for him grew every single day, although this seemed impossible. We spent every second we could together, and his touch still sent electricity soaring through my limbs. I was still stronger than him, something that I found highly amusing, but it also meant that I still had to be careful. My Edward: breakable. The thought was almost laughable. We spent a lot of time alone together in our adorable cottage in the forests – I still couldn't thank Esme enough for her thoughtfulness.

Renesmee was growing into a stunning young lady – she now had the appearance of a ten year old, although her fluency and intelligence made her easier to converse with than any adult. Her curls hung past her waist, and her deep brown eyes were the perfect copy of my own (my eyes had now turned closer to a gold colour, although not quite the same topaz as my family. I could now see Charlie without having to put up with those irritating contact lenses). Renesmee was the only one of us who kept on asking about the Volturi: now that all the 'excitement' of looming death had passed, she seemed mildly irritated with the slow pace of everyday life, choosing to take up languages and creative hobbies in an attempt to broaden her mind. Edward and I encouraged her interests, and Edward tutored her with lessons on every topic imaginable. She was happy, and we were happy watching her flourish.

I slowed my speeding course through the forest, and I could see the road through the trees. I could see Charlie's house, standing out bright and white against the foliage. I cleared the edge of the forest. Charlie's cruiser wasn't there – he was still at work. I let myself in, taking in deep gulps of the wonderfully familiar homely smell. I made my way up to my room in a fraction of a second, and sat down lightly on my old bed. Charlie had kept it exactly the same, although I had expected this, seeing as it had been the same since I were a child.

I looked over at the window, and, out of habit, went over to open it wide. My memories instantly ran wild in my head; faded, blurry memories of waiting anxiously for Edward to appear in the moonlight, shining like an angel. I remembered the feel of his cold arms around me, his topaz eyes burning into mine and making my heart race and my skin flush. I remembered spending night after night in his strong embrace, and waking up to find him still there in the morning, watching me with adoration, like I were the most important thing in the world. I reluctantly remembered the months of pain and heartache when he wasn't there... when he...

I refused to let myself dwell on that for too long. After all, these days I had to really focus to remember those times, so I just chose not to think about the bad times. They weren't worth dwelling on; I know he loves me.

A familiar sound on the road a mile or so away dragged me back to reality. The cruiser. I smiled to myself. A few weeks ago, Jasper had decided that I was no more a danger to humans than the rest of them were, and I had been finally allowed to see my Dad on my own. Charlie was a complete nervous wreck the first time he saw me on my own. It was like he didn't know what to say. He had never been a particularly talkative man, but the time was filled with awkward silences and was entirely unpleasant. He relaxed after a while, and things were slowly descending to something like normality between us, even if we didn't exactly resemble a father-and-daughter any more.

Charlie made his way up the drive, his feet dragging heavily on the gravel. I made my way gracefully down the staircase to meet him – being graceful in this house still seemed strange, having lived here for so long as a klutz.

Charlie came through the door, and smiled when he saw me. He had been expecting me, so at least I hadn't surprised him. He hung up his gun belt and jacket as usual.

"Hey, Bella."

"Hey." My voice still sounded strange to me, and I could tell it still made him uncomfortable. "How was work?"

"Good. Yeah, you know."

There was silence. But a comfortable silence. Another sign that things were getting back to 'normal'. I went into the kitchen to get a drink for him, and he sat down at the table, rubbing his hands over his face. He'd obviously had a long day. I sat lightly in the chair opposite him – my chair.

"Hey, remember your cousin, Raiyn?"

I knew the name straight away. Raiyn was my age, I thought, but I couldn't be sure. I hadn't seen her since I was four. All I knew is that Renee's sister, Paula, had moved to England to marry the love of her life, and had had two daughters, Ruth and Raiyn. I thought Renee and Paula had drifted apart, as Mum never seemed to mention her usually.

As if reading my mind (if that were possible with my mind), Charlie continued.

"Well, she's coming over here for a couple of weeks. Renee is going over to England to catch up with your Aunt Paula, and I think Raiyn wants to get out and do something before college..." he waved his hand dismissively, as if not understanding the desire to explore the world beyond one's home town.

I smiled politely.

"I was wondering if you can pick her up from the airport tomorrow; I have to be at the station."

I froze a little, a natural reaction in this new body. "Um... I don't know if she'll recognise me, Dad. I'm not... I mean, I look a little..." Different? Otherworldly? Inhuman?

A tired smile pulled up onto Charlie's face. "She hasn't seen you since you were a kid, Bella."

True. I smiled and nodded. "Okay, Dad, sure. I'll go pick her up. Anything for you, you know that."

"For you too, Bella," he replied. "It'll be nice for you to see your cousin. Don't... don't forget you have other family too," he said pointedly.

I stood up, and leaned down to kiss him on the forehead, the smell of his blood burning my throat a little more at the proximity. But I controlled it. Of course I controlled it. Anything for him. Anything for those I loved.


	3. Chapter Two: Sun Behind the Clouds

**Disclaimer:**The Twilight Saga and all characters therein belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Chapter Two: Sun Behind the Clouds**

_Jacob's POV_

"_And there's trouble in China today, as the starts of a massive heatwave causes chaos. The heat is so severe that forests have started to catch fire, and local children have been sent home from school for their own health..."_

I flicked the channel over, and sighed. I had enough depression of my own without thinking about some natural disaster on the other side of the world. It sounded harsh, but I had enough on my mind.

I pulled myself up off the sofa, and stretched, my bones cracking loudly. I dragged myself outside and took in a few deep gulps of the fresh, damp air. I set off for the forest, pushing myself faster and faster. I sprang into my wolf form before I hit the forest, and just ran as fast as I could. Not thinking, hardly breathing. Just the speed.

_-You need to get a grip, Jacob.-_

I sighed. The sound of Leah's voice in my head dragged me back to reality.

_~Butt out, Leah.~_

_-I don't know what's wrong with you anymore,_ she continued despite my threat. _All this used to be just about Bella, but now... I don't know; its like you're mad at the whole world.- _

_~I'm not.~_

_-We're not to blame, Jake. Remember that. Its not our fault.-_

_~I KNOW, LEAH! Get the hell outa here!~_

I heard her grumble something incoherent, and felt her presence slip from my mind. I hadn't meant to shout, and I knew she was right.

I kept running, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, smelling nothing, lost in my own thoughts. I thought about the last few months. My days had consisted of sleeping and running. I knew everyone was worried about me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. At least I hadn't run away this time. I would never do that again. I would face my fears head-on. Although, right now, I had no idea what I was actually afraid of.

Since the whole thing with the evil bloodsuckers, I found it hard to focus on anything. The world seemed a lot bigger, a lot more uncertain. Even as part of this mythical world, I always sort of considered it a local thing, even when those Italian vampires had visited the first time. But with all of those creatures in one place – there must have been a hundred of them – it made me wonder just how widespread they were. Were there vampires all over the world? What about wolves? Were there other packs like ours? They had mentioned about wolves called Children of the Moon: were they real? It made me wonder, and not for the first time, just where the myths ended. Mermaids? Fairies? Ghosts? The thought made me shudder.

I briefly allowed myself to think of Bella. Bella Cullen. Not my Bella anymore. Not that she ever really was. I grimaced at the thought, but it no longer pained me like it used to. It had become a fact, an inescapable part of my life. It didn't hurt to think of her anymore. It almost didn't hurt to see her, although I had only met with her a couple of times. I was still her friend, and I figured she was still mine. But something had changed. It were as if my whole being was still searching for something, something I had once thought I had found in Bella. But now, with the realisation of this whole wide world, I knew that whatever I was looking for must be out there somewhere. This was why I was mad. This was why I felt defeated all the time. It felt as if the world were against me, determined to keep a barrier between me and my happiness.

I felt someone phase, and instantaneously, Seth was in my mind. I thought he'd be mad at me for shouting at his sister, but he was only worried.

-_Jake, you need to pull yourself together.-_

_~I'm fine.~_

_-Is this still about...-_

_~You know its not, Seth!~_

He hesitated uncomfortably.

I let my mind wander again. I had been chasing a lost cause for so long, that when I stopped I was left with nothing. Nothing else in my life. Just a gaping hole.

_-You just need to find the right girl.-_

Damn it. I'd forgotten he was still there.

~_No, Seth, I just need to get my head on straight.~_

-_Yeah, whatever_- he grumbled, and vanished from my head.

I felt bad for yelling again. I was driving all my friends away, but I couldn't stop it.

I phased from my wolf form without thinking, and headed over to the clifftops. The rain was setting in, just like every other day. Nothing ever changed. Well, nothing ever changed for the better. Not for me.

I looked down over the edge of the cliff to the crashing waves below. I took a deep breath and looked up at the cloudy sky. Behind the clouds pressing down all around, there had to be Sun. Somewhere.

I would sort out my wrecked life later.

I closed my eyes and jumped from the cliff, awaiting the cold water below.


	4. Chapter Three: Something New

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

_A/N: My thanks to _x19x_, _2lulu2 _and _Jennyleelovee _for reviewing. As per _x19x_'s advice, I am reminding my readers that in this story, Jacob has not imprinted on Renesmee._

**Chapter Three: Something New**

_Bella's POV_

I stood staring at myself in the mirror, scrutinising my appearance. It had been so long since I had _tried_ to look human, that it was difficult to remember what I was supposed to look like. Charlie had gotten used to my appearance now, so there had been no need to pretend for months. But I was nervous about picking my cousin up from the airport. My family had always been very perceptive...

I decided to wear gloves: long, thin gloves that Alice had given me in that monstrous wardrobe in our lovely cottage. At least this would mean I could hug her without giving her frostbite.

Edward came up behind me, and wound his arms around my waist, pulling me back to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, running his lips up and down my neck. I shivered. His touch still sent electricity sparking through my limbs.

"Just worried about Raiyn," I admitted.

He kissed my cheek softly. "There's no reason to worry, love. Everything will be fine."

I nodded, trying to be as convinced as he seemed. He turned me to face him and pressed his lips to mine, before taking my hand and running with me through the forest towards our family's house. We emerged from the edge of the trees moments later. Edward, unsurprisingly, hadn't a hair out of place, while my hair was a disarray from the foliage. I just don't know how he managed it. I smoothed down my hair as best I could as I made my way to the house, hand in hand with my husband.

Renesmee greeted us when we entered the house. She was playing cards with Rosalie, her face furrowed in concentration as she sprawled out on the floor. I smiled affectionately at her, and went to kneel down next to her. I ran my fingers through her long, silky curls, and sighed happily. She truly was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I heard Edward head over to Emmett, who was sprawled out on the sofa, watching a football game.

Rosalie gracefully flicked down a card onto the pile, and Renesmee smiled gleefully. She knew she would win. She placed her hand on mine, showing me in an instant that she had already won the last five games. I left them to it, and went over to Edward. He and Emmett were not the only ones at the sofa now. They had been joined by Carlisle, Esme and Alice, who were all staring at the television, too. I noticed the football had been replaced with a news bulletin:

"_... the latest in a long line of natural disasters that have baffled the experts, eastern Kazakhstan has been hit by the worst tsunami on record. The area is at a standstill as people try to find their loved ones and piece together their lives..."_

Carlisle was frowning in concentration, staring at the screen, still as a statue.

"Impossible," he eventually ventured.

"I know," Edward agreed.

"What?" I asked, not understanding what I was missing.

"Eastern Kazakhstan is basically landlocked," Carlisle explained. "There's nowhere for a tsunami to _come from_."

We all stood silently, contemplating this information. What was happening to the world? I shuddered a little at the thought, and pulled myself back to our reality. I tugged on Edward's cuff.

"We need to get to the airport," I murmured.

He nodded, and we headed to the door. Alice followed us, her eyes miles away and troubled. Edward turned to her, his face mirroring her frown. They locked in a worried gaze for a moment. I hated it when they did that.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I insisted.

"I don't know," Alice replied slowly and quietly. "Just... be careful."

Edward nodded once, and led me out to the car, his hand firmly around mine.

"What has she seen?" I asked when we were in the car.

Edward sighed and frowned again. "I'm not certain. Its almost like a warning of some sort. Like... something is coming."

My eyes widened involuntarily. Not the Volturi. Not again.

Edward was suddenly all smiles, that all-too-perfect mask almost concealing his worry. He turned the key in the ignition. "Lets go."

The airport was crowded, and it made me uncomfortable. Edward pulled me close to his side to comfort me, and we made our way through the huge building to wait at the right terminal. We didn't have to wait long until we heard the plane land, and sometime later a vaguely familiar face appeared in a crowd of people from the luggage claim. I'd had to look at some old family photos to remind myself of what she looked like, and those were taken years ago. Still, her face was somewhat recognisable. Mine must have been, too, because she smiled when she locked eyes with me. But as she made her way closer to us, both Edward and I froze. I knew he noticed the same thing as me. Her smell. No. Not her smell, exactly, but more her... presence. Something different. Something new.

"Hi!" she greeted me, flinging her arms around my shoulders. I stiffened. Her blood burned my throat like a human should, but the smell was strange. I smiled warmly at her when she pulled back, and introduced Edward. He was as polite and charming as ever, but I could see the tension in his eyes.

We took her back in the car to Charlie's, and the journey started off in silence.

"So, how's Aunt Paula doing?" I asked after a while.

"She's okay," Raiyn replied. "She's changed her job _again_. This is her third in eighteen months."

I couldn't help but smile. Seems like Renee wasn't the only scatterbrain in the family.

"So, what do you do, Raiyn?"

I glared at Edward's blunt tone, but I knew he was just as curious as I was.

"Um..." Raiyn sounded nervous. I couldn't blame her. "Well I want to travel, really. I don't... really... have a plan." She grinned bashfully.

Edward managed a small smile. "Nothing wrong with that; you've got plenty of time."

When we finally got to Charlie's, I smelled the unmistakable scent of a werewolf. When we pulled into the street, I could hear Charlie talking with Seth Clearwater. Edward parked behind the cruiser, and Raiyn whispered to me.

"Am I staying with you, or staying here?" she whispered, eyeing the house awkwardly. I could understand her anxiousness. Charlie was hardly the easiest person to live with, especially for someone who wasn't used to him. But then, what was the lesser of the two evils: staying in a house of vampires or staying with Charlie?

Edward answered that conundrum for me: "I'm sure we can figure something out back home."

I gave him an 'are you sure?' look, but he just smiled.

We went into the house and Charlie greeted Raiyn warmly but awkwardly. Seth inhaled sharply, reminding me a little of Edward as he did so, and his eyes widened in confusion. He looked at us questioningly, but Edward just shook his head a little.

Seth tried really hard to act normal, but it was obvious that he was more confused by her than we were. Edward stared at her, with his 'I'm trying to read your mind' expression plastered on his face. If Raiyn noticed, she pretended not to.

"...Its so nice to finally be here," she smiled, obviously tired. "I'd love to look around, maybe tomorrow?" She looked at me.

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, sure. Seth, do you think you'll be able to take Raiyn to La Push tomorrow, show her around?" I would have offered to take her myself, but, even though the vampire/werewolf alliance was intact, I didn't want to push my luck.

He nodded, still not looking too sure. I tried to give him a reassuring smile. There was nothing to worry about. Was there?

We left a little while later. A sheet of rain hit us as we left the house, and Raiyn stared at it with a dismal expression.

"So... it rains a lot?"

Edward chuckled. "You have no idea."

_A/N: Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this, please take a look at my other story, Double Dare._


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